Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan is now offering elaborate virtual tours amid COVID-19 closure 

Mitaka’s Ghibli Museum which is entirely dedicated to showcasing the work of the iconic Japanese animation outfit Studio Ghibli, is now offering a stunning virtual tour on YouTube while it stays temporarily closed amid the Covid pandemic. For a week now, the museum has been releasing online video journals giving the fans a look inside its set-up.

Last week the YouTube channel of the museum released a staff video journal which takes fans behind the scenes into the space called ‘Where The Film Is Born’, which is set up like a child’s studio featuring books, old journals, artwork, artifacts etc. “The room belongs to a boy who wishes to develop an idea of his own film.  The room provides lots of inspiration for what will go on to the blank piece of paper on the desk to become the origin of an actual film,” the video noted.

Another similar video was also published a couple of days back where the fans were taken through the stunning murals on the museum’s walls, all inspired by famous Ghibli outings like My Neighbour Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle etc. The new video is a little more detailed as viewers are led through the patio for a better view at the architecture and the stained glass arches. Fans were able to spot some very familiar details like Kiki on her broom from Hayao Miyazaki’s iconic 1989 film Kiki Delivery Service, The Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro. 

The Ghibli Museum was launched almost 20 years ago, in October 2001 and aspired to offer the Ghibli fandom a look into its iconic universe. In fact, Miyazaki who was one of the main founders of the animation studio, was also very involved with the creative set-up behind the museum. Ghibli Museum showcases past special exhibitions that Miyazaki was involved in and also details and journals about his development process and current works.